Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania supports the purchase of small solar systems that do not require approval with up to 500 euros. A good 1,300 applications were received in the first three weeks.

Schwerin (dpa / mv) – The demand for state funding for so-called balcony power plants in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is growing rapidly. In the first three weeks after the start of the program on November 8, 1305 applications had already been received, said the responsible environment minister, Till Backhaus (SPD), on Wednesday. Of these, 874 are ready for approval, but the others are incomplete.

Since Wednesday, the up to 500 euros in funding per household could be paid out. Backhaus was convinced that the number of applications will continue to rise significantly in the coming weeks. Around 400 applications were received in the first week.

Tenants and homeowners have been able to apply for grants from the State Funding Institute since November 8th. The solar system for the balcony must already be purchased, installed and registered with the grid operator when the application is submitted, but the purchase must not have taken place before November 8th. The total funding amounts to ten million euros. After deducting administration and processing costs, around 18,000 households in the country can benefit, according to the government.

According to Backhaus, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is the first federal state to provide financial support for the installation of such balcony power plants. Systems with an output of 200 to 600 watts are funded.